F 

826 

C91G 


Cummings 

Great  Natural  Bridges 
of  Utah 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


GIFT  OF 

LDJDLEY  BMJ1I 


BULLETIN    OF   THE 

UNIVERSITY  of  UTAH 

VOL  III.  SALT  LAKE  CITY,  NOVEMBER,  1910  NO.  3  PART  I 

The 

Great  Natural  Bridges 
of  Utah 

by  BYRON  CUMMINGS 


First  Archaeological  Number 


PUBLISHED  QUARTERLY  BY  THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH.  ENTERED  AS 
SECOND  CLASS  MATTER,  JUNE  16,  1908,  AT  THE  POSTOFFICE  AT  SALT 
LAKE  CITY,  UNDER  ACT  OF  JULY  16,  1904  ::  ::  :;  :: 


School  of  Arts 
and   Sciences 

"*HE  School  of  Arts  and   Sciences  is 
*       the  oldest  of  the  four  schools  now 
comprising  the  University  of  Utah. 

The  founders  of  the  institution  and 
those  who,  from  time  to  time,  have  been 
instrumental  in  its  development,  have 
ever  kept  in  mind  that  the  chief  function 
of  state  institutions  is  to  produce  broad- 
minded,  well-equipped  citizens.  Real- 
izing this,  the  School  of  Arts  and  Scien- 
ces endeavors  to  provide  that  true  and 
liberal  culture  that  must  ever  form  the 
foundation  for  the  best  professional  and 
technical  education. 

It  aims  through  mutual  helpfulness 
to  weld  all  departments  of  the  institution 
into  a  unit  for  the  aid  and  improvement 
of  the  young  men  and  women  of  Utah. 


The   Great   Natural   Bridges 
of  Utah. 


Introduction 


A  State  University,  to  fulfill  its  function  in  the  common- 
wealth, must  know  the  field  of  its  opportunity.  It  must  seek 
not  only  the  material  development  of  the  State  but  also  set 
a  worthy  standard  of  intelligence  and  a  depth  and  breadth 
of  culture  that  insures  living  citizens.  She  must  send  out 
from  her  immediate  circle  a  constant  supply  of  men  and  women 
who  are  not  merely  sufficiently  clever  and  well  equipped  to 
provide  bread  and  butter  for  themselves  and  those  dependent 
upon  them,  but  who  also  add  to  the  happiness  of  the  world 
by  increasing  respect  for  honest  effort  and  clean  living  and 
by  creating  a  larger  interest  in  nature's  beauties  and  the  steps 
by  which  man  has  climbed  to  his  present  plane  of  achievement. 
A  State  University  is  not  something  apart  from  and  beyond 
the  people,  and  should  continuously  seek  their  welfare  in  im- 
proving their  conditions  and  in  helping  to  solve  the  problems 
that  confront  the  intelligent  world.  With  these  thoughts  before 
us  wye  have  been  at  work  now  for  several  years,  as  vacations 
have  given  opportunity,  endeavoring  to  make  the  great  natural 
wonders  and  beauties  of  Utah  better  known  and  to  investigate 
thoroughly  and  systematically  the  life  of  the  ancient  people 
who  once  inhabited  a  large  portion  of  our  state. 

Our  investigations  naturally  divide  themselves  into  two 
parts :  the  natural  wonders  and  the  ancient  people ;  and  so 
we  have  arranged  this  report  in  the  form  of  two  bulletins. 
This  first  pamphlet  aims  to  set  forth  briefly  the  results  of  the 
work  of  exploration;  and  a  second  will  follow  on  the  life  of 
the  early  inhabitants.  More  detailed  papers  on  special  features 
of  the  archaeological  work  appear  from  time  to  time  in  the 
publications  of  the  Archaeological  Institute  of  America,  under 
whose  general  supervision  we  have  carried  on  the  investiga- 

712428 


2  ARCHAEOLOGICAL  BULLETIN 

tions.  Dr.  Edgar  L.  Hewett,  Director  of  American  Archaeology 
of  the  Institute,  has  shown  himself  deeply  interested  in  the 
Utah  Society,  the  State  University,  and  the  development  of  a 
State  Museum,  and  has  been  exceedingly  helpful  in  his  wise 
suggestion  and  direction. 

Colonel  E.  A.  Wall  ever  shows  a  deep  interest  in  the  ad- 
vancement and  upbuilding  of  Utah.  He  has  taken  a  lively 
interest  in  the  University's  work  of  exploration  and  investiga- 
tion, and  generously  contributed  the  expenses  of  the  expedi- 
tions of  1907  and  1908,  and  the  work  done  in  Arizona  in  1909. 
The  State  Legislature  at  its  last  session  appropriated  the  sum 
of  $2,000  to  aid  in  this  work  a  part  of  which  fund  was  used 
in  the  summer  and  fall  of  1909.  No  one  connected  with  any 
of  the  expeditions  has  received  any  pecuniary  remuneration 
therefor  except  a  few  white  men  and  Indians  who  have  been 
employed  as  guides  and  helpers  when  it  was  impossible  other- 
wise to  pursue  the  work  profitably. 

Our  grateful  thanks  are  due  to  the  students  who  have  so 
cheerfully  endured  the  hardships  of  many  a  severe  march  and 
privation  and  who  have  so  heartily  turned  their  hands  to 
every  form  of  toil  confronting  investigators  in  a  rough,  dry 
country,  far  from  white  man's  habitation.  Mr.  Neil  Judd  of 
Salt  Lake  has  been  an  indispensable  co-worker  in  the  expedi- 
tions into  San  Juan  during  the  summers  of  1907,  1908,  and 
1909.  Mr.  Fred.  Scranton  of  Salt  Lake,  Mr.  Joseph  Driggs  of 
Sandy,  and  Mr.  John  C.  Brown  of  Ogden  took  part  in  the 
expedition  of  1907,  while  Mr.  Burl  Armstrong  and  Rev.  F.  F. 
Eddy  accompanied  the  same  expedition  as  representatives  of 
the  Salt  Lake  Republican  and  the  Tribune,  respectively. 
Mr.  Clifton  Lockhart  of  Park  City  was  a  member  of  the  expedi- 
tion of  1908  and  helped  to  make  the  first  trip  into  northern 
Arizona.  Mr.  Stuart  Young  of  Salt  Lake  and  Mr.  Donald 
Beauregard  of  Ogden  were  the  artists  of  our  party  in  the 
summer  of  1909  and  produced  results  with  the  camera  and 
brush  that  speak  for  themselves.  Dr.  William  Blum,  now  of 
Washington,  D.  C.,  also  spent  a  month  with  us  studying  the 
geology  of  the  region. 

In  the  summer  of  1908,  Mr.  A.  V.  Kidder  of  Harvard  Uni- 
versity had  charge  of  the  excavations  on  Alkali  Ridge  and  Mr. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH  3 

De  Fritz  and  Mr.  Parsons,  two  Harvard  students,  spent  two 
weeks  assisting  in  the  work  at  that  place. 

In  the  work  of  November  and  December,  1909,  very  effi- 
cient help  under  exceedingly  trying  conditions  of  rain,  snow, 
and  extreme  cold,  was  rendered  by  Mr.  George  Barton.  Mr.  J. 
M.  Redd,  Jr.,  and  Mr.  John  Redd,  three  young  men  of 
Monticello. 

We  wish  to  express  here  our  hearty  appreciation  of  the 
valuable  and  untiring  assistance  given  by  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Wetherill  of  Oljato,  Mr.  Kumen  Jones  and  Mr.  Francis  Nielson 
of  Bluff,  Mr.  J.  Munroe  Redd  of  Monticello,  and  Dr.  John 
Williams  of  Moab.  To  the  many  others  who  have  given  us 
helpful  good  cheer  and  assistance,  we  would  also  express  our 
gratitude. 

Berlin,  August,  1910. 


M#r  OF- 

(Nor/n^Toshla.    I 
Avista} 
%z$r 
P.kyabo''    3 


n<f. 


YVyorrptrjt 

7 

-32" 


Sketch   Map  of  Utah. 


Utah's  Great  Natural  Bridges. 


In  speaking  of  the  resources  of  a  country  we  no  longer 
think  merely  of  the  fertility  and  depth  of  its  soil,  the  amount 
of  mineral  hidden  beneath  its  surface,  or  the  wealth  of  timber 
growing  on  its  mountain  slopes.  Alaska,  has  aJl  of  these  and 
yet  its  climatic  conditions  are  such  that  the  highly  developed 
animal — man — cannot  make  a  comfortable  habitation  in  the 
greater  part  of  its  territory.  Health  and  homes  in  which  a 
good  degree  of  comfort  may  be  maintained,  are  essential  fac- 
tors in  the  development  and  progress  of  any  people ;  and  when 
you  add  to  these,  surroundings  that  are  beautiful  and  uplifting, 
you  have  the  most  necessary  external  conditions  for  human 
happiness  and  manly  growth.  The  great  deposits  of  gold, 
silver,  copper,  iron,  and  oil  found  beneath  the  rugged  summits 
of  Utah's  mountains  have  long  been  known;  and  since  her 
rich  bottom  lands  and  sunny  slopes  first  felt  the  courageous 
touch  of  the  pioneer,  they  have  poured  forth  nearly  every 
variety  of  fruit,  grain,  and  vegetable  helpful  to  the  life  of 
man  and  beast.  But  the  citizens  of  this  commonwealth,  so 
rich  in  its  natural  possibilities,  are  only  beginning  to  realize 
the  great  advantage  they  have  in  making  their  homes  in  these 
valleys.  To  breathe  the  pure  air  that  sweeps  down  through 
these  rugged  canyons,  to  live  and  grow  in  the  sunshine  that 
is  forever  giving  to  their  battlemented  cliffs  a  warmth  and 
glow  and  an  ever  changing  color  that  rests  and  inspires,  to 
be  able  to  see  how  nature  is  molding  and  shaping  this  earth's 
crust,  is  no  mean  inheritance. 

We  cross  the  continent  and  then  the  Atlantic  to  climb 
the  Swiss  mountains  and  gaze  into  the  clear  waters  of  their 
lakes  and  mountain  torrents  when  grander  mountains,  more 
beautiful  lakes,  and  glancing  waterfalls  are  found  here  at  our 
doors  with  a  welcome  invitation  to  come  and  enjoy  their  beauty 
and  coolness.  We  spend  our  thousands  to  see  sunny  Italy  and 
the  orange  groves  of  Florida  and  southern  California,  for- 
getting that  Utah's  "Dixie"  in  the  southwestern  part  of  the 
state,  and  the  realm  of  the  San  Juan  and  the  Grand  in  the 
southeastern  section,  furnish  just  as  sunny  skies,  a  more  in- 


6  ARCHAEOLOGICAL  BULLETIN 

vigorating  atmosphere,  and  more  delicious  fruit  than  any  of 
the  former  far  famed  regions.  Why  do  we  yearly  pour  our 
money  into  the  laps  of  other  less  favored  sections  and  why  do 


UNIVERSITY   OF   UTAH  7 

we  each  winter  give  a  "God  speed"  to  the  multitudes  on  their 
way  to  southern  California  and  say  nothing  about  the  life-- 
giving resources  kind  nature  has  showered  upon  us?  You 
answer,  ' '  There  is  no  way  to  get  to  Dixie,  and  Moab  and  Bluff 
are  so  far  from  the  railroad. ' '  Yes,  it  is  true ;  but  is  it  to  be 
always  thus? 

Utah  has  some  of  the  most  attractive  scenery  found  any- 
where on  the  globe.  The  grandeur  of  her  rugged  mountains 
on  the  east  and  the  picturesque  beauty  of  their  clear  lakes  and 
dashing  torrents  and  the  wonderful  coloring  of  the  great  Inland 
Sea  and  the  western  desert  at  sunset  have  been  enjoyed  by 
many.  But  in  the  far  southeastern  part  of  the  State,  nature 
has  molded  the  earth's  crust  into  forms  so  strange  and  fantastic 
and  dyed  them  in  a  coloring  so  richly  warm  and  varied,  and 
spreads  over  all  such  bright  sunshine  and  such  clear,  whole- 
some atmosphere  that  the  few  who  have  penetrated  this  more 


The   Navajo  Twins. 

remote  section  realize  much  more  fully  how  favored  Utah  is 
in  its  great  natural  resources. 

Grand  and  San  Juan  counties  cover  11,784  square  miles,  or 
one-seventh  of  the  entire  state.    The  greater  part  of  their  sur- 


8  ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 

face  is  a  high  plateau  of  from  5,000  to  6,000  feet  elevation, 
formed  of  the  massive  red  sandstone  beds  that  have  been 
spread  out  over  all  this  region.  From  this  plateau  rises  the 
remnants  of  a  still  more  lofty  mesa  that  in  places  cover  large 
areas,  but  for  the  most  part  stand  out  as  isolated  cliffs.  All 
the -softer  portions  have  been  washed  down  and  used  to  help 
form  the  plains  below,  while  the  harder  parts  still  remain,  worn 
into  mighty  monuments,  castles,  domes,  and  spires  that  lift 
their  heads  far  above  the  lower  mesa  upon  which  they  stand. 
In  some  places  these  cliffs  are  quite  alone,  as  for  instance 
"organ  rock,"  while  in  others  they  are  grouped  near  together. 
An  illustration  of  the  latter  is  " Monumental  Park."  situated 
in  Utah  and  along  the  Utah-Arizona  line  fifty  miles  southwest 


Monument  Park. 

of  Bluff.  Here  within  a  radius  of  three  miles  from  monu- 
mental divide  are  nine  cliffs  varying  in  size  from  slender  spires 
to  mighty  bluffs  a  thousand  feet  across,  and  all  lift  their  per- 
pendicular sides  five,  six,  seven  and  eight  hundred  feet  above 
the  high  plateau  upon  which  they  rest.  "Within  a  radius  of 
twenty  miles  are  many  strange  shapes  that  can  be  seen  wholly 
or  in  part  from  this  divide.  Among  this  number  are  "train 
cliff"  and  "organ  rock."  Avhile  among  the  first  nine  are  found 
the  buttes  where  Mitchell  and  Myrick,  seekers  of  famed  rich 
mines,  lost  their  lives  at  the  hands  of  Navajos.  Their  rich, 
red  sandstone  sides  standing  out  against  the  clear  sky,  make 


u  picture  that  one  is  willing  to  travel  many  miles  to  behold. 
In  comparison  with  this  handiwork  of  time,  the  celebrated 
"Garden  of  the  Gods"  pales  into  mediocrity. 

Virginia  has  long  been  known  for  its  great  natural  bridge. 
As  youths  we  were  fascinated  by  the  description  of  it  in  our 
school  readers  and  the  illustrations  of  its  massive  proportions 
found  in  our  geographies.  Yet  Utah,  can  boast  of  four  great 


One  of  the  Monuments. 

natural  arches,  any  one  of  which  is  larger  than  Virginia's 
wonder.  They  are  the  "Nonnezoshie,"  northwest  of  Navajo 
mountain,  the  "Carolyn"  and  the  "Augusta"  in  White  Can- 
yon, and  the  "Edwin"  in  Armstrong  Canyon,  the  last  three 
are  near  the  Orejas  del  Oso  (Bears'  Ears)  in  the  central  part 
of  San  Juan  county.  Under  Nonnezoshie,  the  greatest  of 
Utah's  arches,  could  be  placed  two  of  the  Virginia  bridge,  and 
yet  have  some  room  to  spare.  Underneath  its  mighty  span, 
the  eastern  towers  of  the  Salt  Lake  Temple  could  stand  with 
ease.  The  supporting  columns  of  the  "Augusta,"  the  largest 
of  the  White  Canyon  bridges,  could  stand,  one  at  the  corner 
of  the  Templeton  Building  and  the  other  in  the  corner  of  Tcm- 


10 


ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 


pie  Block,  Avhile  its  mighty  arch  would  rise  222  feet  into  the 
air  and  look  down  upon  the  Deseret  News  Building;  and  yet 
the  Nonnezoshie  could  rest  on  the  other  diagonal  corners  of 


The   Nonnezoshie   Bridge. 

the  square  and  its  arch  would  completely  clear  the  top  of  the 
"Augusta." 

These  great  natural  wonders  were  well  known  to  tho 
ancient  cliff  and  pueblo  dwellers,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  ruins 
of  their  houses  and  altars  found  near  them;  and  the  modern 
tribes  of  Utes,  Pahutes,  and  Navajos  have  been  familiar  with 
them  for  generations.  The  White  Canyon  bridges  were  first 
visited  by  white  men  in  September,  1883,  when  Mr.  Cass  Hite, 
accompanied  by  Indian  Joe,  Edward  Randolph,  and  Scotty 
Ross,  made  a  trip  into  that  region.  Mr.  Hite  gave  these  bridges 
the  names  of  the  President,  the  Senator,  and  the  Congressman. 
Several  cattlemen  from  Bluff  frequently  saw  them  when  riding 
for  cattle  in  that  region;  but  they  were  unknown  to  the  out- 
side world  until  Mr.  Scorup  of  Bluff  led  Mr.  Long  to  them 
in  1903.  The  result  of  that  trip  was  an  article  in  the  Century 
Magazine  of  August,  1904,  which  did  a  great  deal  to  awaken 


UNIVERSITY   OF   UTAH 


11 


interest  in  these  natural  bridges  and  direct  attention  to  the 
scenery  of  Utah ;  but  no  careful  measurements  were  made,  their 
size  was  overestimated,  and  the  comparisons  with  the  United 
States  Capitol  and  other  buildings  erroneous  and  misleading. 

The  Salt  Lake  Commercial  Club  expediton,  sent  out  under 
the  direction  of  artist  H.  L.  A.  Calmer,  visited  these  structures 
in  April,  1905,  and  secured  photographs  and  sketches  of  them 
from  which  the  famous  paintings  of  the  bridges  by  Mr.  Culmer 
have  been  made.  Besides  Mr.  Culmer.  the  party  consisted  of 


The  Augusta  Bridge. 

Mr.  Carleton  Holmes,  together  with  Mr.  S.  T.  Whitaker  as 
photographer  and  Mr.  Scorup  and  Mr.  Adams  as  guides  and 
helpers. 

In  the  summer  of  1907,  an  expedition  went  out  from  the 
University  of  Utah  under  the  direction  of  the  Archaeological 
Institute  of  America  to  explore  as  much  as  possible  of  that 
part  of  San  Juan  county  lying  north  of  the  San  Juan  river. 

The  party  visited  the  "White  Canyon  bridges  and  made  a 
study  of  them  and  their  surroundings.  Mr.  Scranton  and  Mr. 
Brown  made  a  survey  of  the  bridges  and  the  land  in  their 
immediate  vicinity.  Mr.  Scranton  prepared  a  topographical, 
and  Mr.  Judd  and  Mr.  Driggs  a  geographical  map.  designating 


12  ARCHAEOLOGICAL    BULLETIN 

also  the  most  important  ruins  in  the  locality  about  the  bridges. 
These  were  forwarded  to  Dr.  Hewett  at  Washington  and  were 
used  by  him  in  his  report  to  the  Land  Board  from  which 
President  Roosevelt  issued  a  proclamation  April  16,  1908, 
creating  the  "Natural  Bridges  National  Monument." 

There  are  three  of  these  large  bridges  in  the  monument, 
generally  known  as  the  "Augusta,"  the  "Carolyn"  and  the 
"Edwin,"  while  high  up  in  the  cliffs  between  the  "Augusta" 
and  the  "Carolyn"  are  found  two  other  small  arches.  The 
names  of  Augusta  and  Carolyn  were  given  by  Mr.  Long  and 
Mr.  Scorup  in  honor  of  Mr.  Long's  wife  and  Mr.  Scorup's 
mother,  respectively,  while  the  "Edwin"  was  christened  by 
the  Salt  Lake  Commercial  Club  expedition  in  honor  of  Colonel 
Edwin  P.  Holmes.  An  additional  survey  was  made  in  1908 
by  Mr.  W.  B.  Douglass,  Examiner  of  Surveys  for  the  United 
States  government.  In  September,  1909,  President  Taft  issued 
a  second  proclamation  on  the  Natural  Bridges  National  Monu- 
ment by  which  the  former  boundaries  were  changed  somewhat, 
two  large  cave  springs  a  few  miles  away  included,  and  the 
names  changed  to  the  Owachomo,  the  Kachina,  and  the  Sipapu. 
The  earlier  names,  however,  have  been  so  long  associated  with 
the  structures  by  the  people  of  the  region  and  through  the 
various  magazine  articles  that  have  appeared  that  it  will  be 
very  difficult  to  secure  a  general  recognition  of  the  Hopi  names 
now  applied  by  the  government. 

Ages  ago  the  great  sandstone  beds  overlying  this  entire 
region  must  have  been  pushed  upwards  by  the  internal  forces 
of  the  earth  until  in  the  places  of  their  greatest  elevation  the 
various  strata  separated,  mountains  were  formed,  and  large 
cracks  opened  up  that  extended  in  zigzag  lines  away  through 
the  slopes  of  this  vast  tableland.  This  process  of  elevation 
was  undoubtedly  a  gradual  one;  and,  as  the  waters  of  the 
mountains  sought  a  lower  level,  they  took  their  courses  through 
these  irregular  crevices,  searching  for  the  ocean  which  was 
then  not  far  away.  Their  rushing  currents  and  surging  eddies 
wore  off  the  sharp  corners,  sought  out  the  soft  places  in  the 
yielding  sandstone,  dug  out  deep  caverns  and  recesses  in  the 
cliffs,  and  left  behind  them  a  series  of  graceful  curves  and 
fantastic  forms  that  amaze  and  delight  the  traveler  at  every 


UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH  13 

turn.  As  the  formation  was  pushed  upward  from  time  to 
time,  these  rushing  torrents  and  surging  estuaries  kept  on  with 
their  work  of  cutting,  smoothing,  and  filling  until  they  have 
produced  the  deep  box  canyons  so  prevalent  in  this  section, 
which  sometimes  widen  out  into  small  valleys  of  rich  alluvial 
deposit  and  again  narrow  down  to  mere  slits  between  huge 
masses  of  cliffs. 

This  elevation  and  opening  of  the  formation  often  left  a 
narrow  section  of  the  cliff  extending  out  into  the  gorge  for 
rods,  around  which  the  stream  had  to  make  its  way  as  it 
rushed  onward  in  its  course.  The  constant  surging  of  the 
waters  against  this  barrier  revealed  a  soft  place  in  the  sand- 
stone, where  it  gradually  ate  out  a  half-dome-shaped  cave.  In 
a  few  instances  as  the  water  swirled  around  the  other  side  of 
this  barrier,  they  reached  the  corresponding  soft  place  on  the 
opposite  side  and  ground  out  a  similar  half-dome  there.  When, 
in  the  course  of  time,  the  backs  of  these  two  semi-circular 
caves  came  together,  the  waters  found  a  shorter  course  through 
that  opening,  enlarged  the  archway  and  smoothed  off  and 
rounded  into  graceful  curves  the  sides  of  its  massive  but- 
tresses. Thus  a  bridge  was  formed  and  became  a  mighty  span 
of  enduring  rock,  whose  foundations  and  graceful  superstruc- 
ture were  laid  by  the  ages.  All  of  the  White  Canyon  bridges 
and  the  great  arch  of  Nonnezoshie  evidently  have  been  formed 
in  this  manner. 

The  "Edwin"  (Owachomo)  is  located  in  Armstrong  Can- 
yon about  three  miles  above  where  it  opens  out  into  White 
Canyon.  It  is  a  graceful  structure,  as  seen  in  the  accompanying 
illustration,  having  a  span  of  194  feet  and  an  elevation  of  108 
feet.  This  long  arch  of  sandstone  is  only  ten  feet  thick  in  the 
center;  and  thus  one  sees  how  these  proportions  give  an  im- 
pression of  lightness  that  is  most  pleasing  to  the  eye.  Near 
it  are  domes  and  turrets  fashioned  by  the  same  hands  that  pro- 
duced the  bridge;  and  nestling  in  a  cave  worn  in  the  sunny 
side  of  the  cliff  near  one  end  are  the  deserted  homes  of  a 
"cliff  dwellers"  village. 

Three  miles  below,  near  the  junction  of  Armstrong  Canyon 
with  White  Canyon,  one  finds  his  way  almost  blocked  by  a 
cliff  that  rises  before  him  in  amazing  proportions.  On  the 


UNIVERSITY   OF  UTAH 


15 


right  and  on  the  left  similar  cliffs  seem  to  be  endeavornig  to 
elbow  the  visitor  out  of  the  way.  However,  seventy-five  feet 
above,  at  the  right,  one  notices  that  the  barrier  has  been  worn 
away  and  sees  plainly  the  course  of  the  mighty  stream  that 
once  pursued  its  winding  current  among  these  cliffs.  A  little 
farther  on.  to  the  left,  the  end  of  the  Armstrong  Canyon  is 
reached;  and  one  stands  in  the  shadow  of  a  great  archway 
which  the  waters  of  White  Canyon  have  cut  through  this  bar- 
rier that  just  now  seemed  to  block  the  course  of  the  Armstrong. 
This  is  the  "Carolyn"  (Kachina),  with  a  span  of  186  feet  from 


The   Carolyn   Bridge. 

side  to  side  and  98  feet  high  in  the  center,  while  the  total 
height  of  the  bridge  is  205  feet  with  a  width  on  top  of  49  feet. 
Sharp  corners  and  broken  lines  here  and  there  in  the  arch 
and  buttresses  show  the  unfinished  work  of  the  artisan.  Na- 
ture has  not  yet  given  the  final  touches;  but  wind  and  storm 
and  driving  sand  will  continue  to  chisel  and  polish  until  the 
lines  are  all  graceful  curves,  adding  greater  beauty  to  the  most 
massive  of  the  bridges.  Beneath  its  broad  arch,  a  spring  of 
cold  water  invites  one  to  "bide  a  wie  and  dinna  fret."  It  is 
a  veritable  "fountain  of  youth";  and  by  its  side,  inspired  by 


16  ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 

its  life  giving  elixir,  surrounded  by  the  rich  greens  of  cotton- 
wood  and  oak  and  the  warm  reds  and  buffs  of  the  cliffs,  while 
the  strange  homes  and  mysterious  writings  of  a  long  forgotten 
people  peer  down  from  the  ledges,  one  indeed  imagines  that 
the  world  is  young  again  and  he  is  part  and  parcel  of  its 
simplicity. 

Passing  to  the  right  up  the  main  fork  of  White  Canyon, 
winding  in  and  out  between  lofty  cliffs  that  send  out  their 
towers  and  battlements  and  in  the  hollows  of  whose  seamed 
and  scarred  sides  are  seen  the  homes  the  fortifications,  and 
the  granaries  of  an  ancient  population,  after  a  walk  of  about 
two  miles,  one  stands  under  the  arch  of  another  of  nature's 
wonders,  the  "Augusta"  (Sipapu)  bridge.  This  span  is  157 
feet  high  and  261  feet  long  at  the  bottom.  It  is  222  feet  from 
the  creek  bed  to  the  top  of  the  bridge,  and  the  road  bed  is  28 
feet  wide.  The  Augusta,  therefore,  is  the  crowning  glory  of 
the  three  bridges.  It  combines  massiveness  with  gracefulness 
of  proportions  that  give  an  altogether  pleasing  and  satisfying 
effect.  One  sits  within  its  shadow  and  gazes  up  at  its  mighty 
arch  curving  above  him  and  wonders  how  many  ages  it  has 
taken  to  complete  such  a  magnificent  piece  of  work.  One 
climbs  to  the  cliff  above  and  watches  the  play  of  sunshine  and 
shadow  upon  the  warm  coloring  of  the  rich  reds  and  browns 
of  the  enduring  sandstone  that  forms  its  arch  and  buttresses 
and  comprehends  the  gracefulness  of  its  outlines  and  propor- 
tions as  a  whole,  and  he  seems  unable  to  tear  himself  away 
from  the  spell  its  might  and  beauty  throw  about  him.  He  feels 
inclined  to  take  up  his  abode  in  one  of  the  numerous  cliff 
dwellings  near  by  and  become  a  child  of  nature  again — live 
near  to  God  and  let  Him  speak  to  b.im  through  the  majestj- 
and  beauty  of  His  handiwork,  unmarred  by  the  careless, 
thoughtless  hand  of  man. 

The  greatest  and  the  most  recently  known  specimen  of 
Nature's  bridge  building,  however,  is  the  Nonnezoshie  arch, 
situated  northwest  of  Navajo  mountain  in  the  extreme  southern 
part  of  Utah  near  the  Colorado  river.  This  was  probably  first 
visited  by  white  men  when  the  Utah  Archaeological  Expedition 
party  and  the  government  surveying  party  under  Mr.  W.  B. 
Douglass  of  Washington,  D.  C..  found  the  structure  August 


UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH 


17 


14th,  1909.  Mr.  Cass  Hite  of  Hite,  Utah,  who  has  traversed 
this  region  more  extensively,  probably,  than  any  other  living 
white  man,  says,  ''The  bridge  found  near  Navajo  mountain  is 
located  in  about  the  only  spot  in  that  region  that  I  did  not 


o> 
•o 


m 

u 


18  ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 

explore  or  prospect.  No,  I  did  not  sec  the  bridge  you  sent 
me  the  picture  of,  and  I  don't  think  any  white  man  ever  saw 
it  until  your  party  did." 

President  Taft  by  proclamation  May  13th,  1910,  set  aside 
this  arch  with  the  land  about  it  as  the  "Rainbow  Bridge 
National  Monument."  In  appearance  it  is  not  so  much  a  real 
bridge  as  the  structures  in  White  Canyon,  because  the  top 
of  the  span  is  not  level.  It  is  a  graceful  arch  of  magnificent 
proportions,  308  feet  high  and  274  feet  long,  that  has  been 
chiseled  out  of  the  cliff  under  conditions  similar  to  those  that 
have  produced  the  "White  Canyon  bridges.  Here,  however,  the 
sandstone  has  been  more  yielding  and  the  forces  at  work, 
perhaps,  more  constant,  so  that  erosion  has  progressed  much 
farther  and  left  only  a  curving  arm  of  the  harder  rock  that 
still  stretches  gracefully  out  across  the  canyon.  This  canyon, 
called  by  the  Indians  "Nonnezoshieboko"  (Great  Arch  Can- 
yon), is  a  gorge  that  takes  its  winding  course  from  the  slope 
of  Navajo  mountain  northwest  into  the  Colorado  river.  Non- 
nezoshie  spans  this  deep  gulch  from  the  cliff  on  one  side  to 
a  bench  on  the  other  about  six  miles  above  the  mouth  of  the 
canyon.  In  places  below  the  arch,  the  cliffs  that  tower  far 
above  and  form  practically  perpendicular  walls  on  either  side, 
draw  so  olose  together  that  there  is  barely  room  to  pass  through 
by  wading  the  small  stream  in  the  narrow  channel.  During 
the  high  waters  in  the  spring  or  after  a  heavy  shower  at  any 
time  of  year  it  would  be  impossible  to  traverse  this  gorge. 
Good  water  is  quite  abundant  in  that  immediate  vicinity ;  but 
grass  is  scarce  and  the  region  so  rough  that  it  has  been  little 
frequented  even  by  Indians.  The  setting  of  wild  scenery  and 
interesting  physiographic  features,  however,  make  it  one  of 
the  most  attractive  spots  on  the  globe.  On  the  northern  slope 
of  the  Navajo  mountain  are  two  other  smaller  arches,  each  of 
which  would  be  attractive  in  itself,  were  it  not  overshadowed 
by  the  great  arch  of  Nonnezoshie. 

The  gorge  through  which  the  San  Juan  flows  for  miles 
in  that  vicinity  is  a  grand  canyon  of  the  Colorado  on  a  little 
smaller  scale.  Evidently  there  once  has  been  a  white  man's 
camp  at  the  junction  of  this  canyon  with  the  Colorado ;  but 
no  traces  of  the  Caucasians  were  found  elsewhere  in  this  or 
in  the  other  canyons.  The  ruins  of  a  few  very  primitive  cliff 


UNIVERSITY    OF   UTAH  19 

dwellings  are  found  in  the  caves  of  the  cliffs  that  form  the 
walls  of  these  gorges ;  and  in  the  shadow  of  Nonnezoshie  stand 
the  remains  of  what  appears  to  be  an  ancient  stone  altar.  But 
the  occasional  bark  of  the  coyote  and  the  mournful  call  of  the 
dove  are  the  only  sounds  that  now  re-echo  among  these  silent 
cliffs. 

In  the  following  September,  Mr.  Wetherill  guided  Mr. 
A.  K.  Townsend  of  Telluride,  Colorado,  and  his  sister  to  this 
bridge,  and  to  Miss  Townsend  undoubtedly  belongs  the  dis- 


The   Pikyabo   Bridge. 

tinction  of  having  been  the  first  white  woman  to  penetrate 
this  wild  region  to  gaze  on  nature  in  all  the  grand  simplicity 
she  there  displays.  For  men  and  women  who  enjoy  horseback 
riding  and  camping-out,  a  trip  to  Nonnezoshie  from  Oljato  or 
to  the  White  Canyon  bridges  from  Bluff  is  not  a  terrible  under- 
taking. The  outdoor  life  in  such  an  invigorating  atmosphere, 
the  new  and  interesting  scenes  continually  spread  before  one, 
and  the  very  difficulties  to  be  overcome  repay  one  on  the 
capital  invested  with  an  interest  that  compounds  itself. 

In  November,  1909,  under  the  guidance  of  Dr.  John  Wil- 
liams of  Moab,  we  visited  a  natural  bridge  in  the  edge  of 
Grand  county  that  deserves  to  be  classed  with  those  of  San 
Juan  county  and  counted  among  the  great  natural  wonders  of 
our  continent.  This  is  a  graceful  arch  with  a  total  elevation  of 
62  feet  and  a  span  of  122  feet  long  and  49  feet  high.  It  stands 


20  ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 

beside  the  cliff  on  the  western  edge  of  Pritchett  valley;  and 
has  been  fashioned  under  somewhat  different  conditions  from 
those  prevailing  during  the  construction  of  the  natural  bridges 
already  described.  Here  there  has  been  no  narrow  zigzag- 
canyon  through  which  waters  surged  in  former  times,  but 
quite  a  large  valley,  some  three  miles  long  and  from  one-fourth 
to  one-half  a  mile  wide.  On  the  sides  of  this  irregular  basin 
rise  rugged  cliffs  that  jut  into  the  valley  here  and  there  in 
sharp  points  and  rounded  domes.  The  upper  surfaces  of  these 
cliffs  stretch  back  in  bare  undulating  fields  of  sandstone,  much 
eroded  by  wind  and  wrater.  Caves  have  been  hollowed  out  of 
these  cliffs  at  various  points  and  numerous  natural  reservoirs 
are  found  scattered  on  the  surface  of  these  bare  rocks  where 
soft  places  have  been  found  in  the  stone,  or  whirling  eddies 
in  former  ages  have  ground  out  cisterns.  Some  of  these  are 
mere  shallow  tanks,  while  others  reach  down  twenty  feet  and 
more  through  the  solid  sandstone.  Some  are  irregular  and 
winding  in  their  course,  while  others  look  as  though  they  had 
been  sunk  by  some  Titanic  drill  when  the  gods  were  playing 
with  the  earth's  crust.  A  few  drain  considerable  areas  of  the 
cliff,  and  in  time  of  storm  many  a  rushing  torrent  loses  itself 
in  their  depths.  In  a  few  instances  such  a  reservoir  has  been 
formed  directly  behind  a  cave  that  was  being  hollowed  out 
of  the  side  of  the  cliff.  As  the  walls  of  the  cave  gradually 
extended  backward  farther  and  farther  into  the  cliff,  the 
reservoir  was  sunk  deeper  and  enlarged  little  by  little  until 
its  bottom  broke  through  into  the  back  of  the  cave.  Then  the 
waters  formerly  gathered  into  the  reservoir  and  held,  surged 
through  the  cave  and  lost  themselves  in  tht  valley  below. 
Every  downpour  of  rain  and  every  driving  wind  carried  the 
work  a  little  farther  until  the  former  roof  of  the  cave  became 
an  arch.  When  the  reservoir  held  the  wraters  until  its  depth 
about  equalled  that  of  the  cave,  then  the  gracefully  curving 
arch  of  the  cave  became  a  real  bridge  as  in  the  case  of  the 
fine  arch  already  mentioned,  which  we  have  christened  Pikyabo 
(Pee-kya-bo).  the  Ute  name  for  water  tank.  In  two  others 
near  by,  the  wralls  gave  way  when  the  bottom  of  the  cistern 
was  near  the  top  of  the  cave,  and  as  a  result  the  arches  appear 
to  be  only  partially  hewrn  from  the  cliff.  In  another,  across 
the  narrowr  canyon  from  Pikyabo  bridge  the  bottom  of  a  cis- 


UNIVERSITY  OF  UTAH 


21 


tern  50  feet  long  and  25  feet  wide  has  broken  into  the  top  of 
a  cave  90  feet  from  front  to  back  and  thus  formed  an  immense 


Needle  Rock. 


skylight  to  this  large  rock-hewn  cavern,  which  we  named 
Wigwam  cave.  The  mouth  of  the  cave  is  an  excellent  arch 
75  feet  wide  and  40  feet  high  that  looks  out  over  the  valley 
from  a  shelf  of  rock  50  feet  above  the  base  of  the  cliff. 

In  Dark  Canyon,  between  the  western  spurs  of  the  Elk 
mountains,  is  a  fine  arch  that  seems  to  have  been  constructed 
in  the  manner  just  described,  but  severe  snowstorms  prevented 
our  examining  and  photographing  it  when  we  were  there  in 
November. 

A  short  distance  from  the  arches  in  Pritchett  valley,  a 


22 


ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 


needle,  that  deserves  mention  in  connection  with  this  interest- 
ing section,  stands  beside  the  bold  cliffs.  It  is  a  shaft  about 
150  feet  high  and  10  feet  through  at  the  base.  It  is  remark- 
able that  so  slender  a  column  has  so  long  withstood  the  buffet- 
ings  of  time. 

The  best  trail  out  of  Pritchett  valley  leads  one  around  to 
the  head  of  Pritchett  gulch  past  a  strangely  fashioned  remnant 


Ostrich  Rock. 

of  the  cliff,  christened  Ostrich  rock,  and  a  point  of  jutting 
cliff  in  which  a  small  bridge  has  been  formed  by  the  breaking 
and  falling  of  large  sections  of  the  strata  beneath.  The  view 
down  Pritchett  gorge  and  the  well  worn  cliffs  beyond  give  one 
a  little  idea  of  the  interesting  features  that  appear  on  every 
side  as  one  threads  his  way  down  this  canyon  to  the  Grand, 
and  along  that  beautiful  stream  flowing  between  lofty  walls 
of  red  sandstone  to  Moab,  the  land  of  "milk  and  honey"  and 
of  real  promise. 

Mr.  Frank  Hall  very  kindly  took  the  time  to  show  us  a 


Block  Bridge. 


Pritchett  Gorge. 


24 


ARCHAEOLOGICAL   BULLETIN 


Balanced  Rock. 

peculiarly  balanced  rock  that  stands  on  the  edge  of  Wilson 
mesa  a.bout  15  miles  east  of  Moab.  The  formation  is  greatly 
eroded  along  the  edges  of  this  mesa — a  lofty  tableland  extend- 
ing along  the  western  slopes  of  the  La  Sal  mountains.  At 
this  particular  point  a  section  of  the  cliff  has  been  worn  into 
the  form  of  a  graceful  pear  that  seems  to  stand  poised  on  its 
stem.  It  is  impossible  to  get  near  enough  to  the  rock  to 
actually  measure  it;  but  from  the  nearest  approach  it  seems 
to  be  fully  15  feet  from  its  top  to  the  bottom  of  the  pedestal 
and  about  10  feet  in  its  longest  diameter,  while  the  stem  or 
pedestal  is  not  more  than  eighteen  inches  to  twenty-four  inches 
in  diameter.  It  probably  will  not  stand  many  years  longer. 

As  one  looks  from  this  mesa  out  across  Little  Castle  val- 
ley and  then  lets  his  eye  make  a  sweep  of  this  whole  region, 
he  can  well  understand  that  this,  too.  as  well  as  ancient  Thes- 
saly,  has  been  a  battle  ground  for  the  gods  and  the  giants — 
the  forces  of  the  earth  and  the  air. 


SALT  LAKE  CITY.  UTAH 

Includes  the  following  Schools  and  Departments 

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Courses  Leading  to  Degrees  of  A.  B.  and  B.  S.  in  Education 

1.  Arts-Normal 

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Shorter  courses  lead  to  a  certificate,  which  is  a  legal  license 
to  teach. 


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Offering: 

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Offering: 

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